Palestinians, not Israelis, Need the Gospel of Peace

Palestinian leaders, including the Palestinian Authority, have done a lot to whip up this violence and little to stop it. They may refer to peace and co-existence on some diplomatic occasions, but they preach and practice non-stop hatred and violence against Israel and the Jews.

It would have been more helpful if President Mukherjee had stressed his gospel of peace in the Palestinian territories, not Israel. Ever since its creation in 1948, Israel has believed in peaceful co-existence with Palestine. The successive offers of peace from Jerusalem have always supported this policy.

In contrast, not only has the Palestinian leadership never believed in peaceful co-existence, but it has constantly indulged in racist incitement, and often violence, to try to eliminate Israel.

After a reception at the presidential palace in Israel in Mid-October, India's President, Pranab Mukherjee, said: "We are distressed at the recent violence [in the region]. India condemns all forms of terrorism. We have always advocated a peaceful resolution of all disputes." Later, the President told Israel's Leader of the Opposition, Isaac Herzog, "Violence is not a solution to any crisis. Violence achieves nothing but more violence. We in India believe in a principle of live and let live." What great new ideas!

Why, though, did President Mukherjee say so only in Israel? Apparently, he remained completely silent on the issue of terrorism when he visited the Palestinian Authority (PA) a day or two earlier. In Ramallah, he just reasserted India's position that New Delhi remained committed to the Palestinian cause, and supported a peaceful solution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

It would have been more helpful if President Mukherjee had stressed his gospel of peace in the Palestinian territories, not Israel. Ever since its creation in 1948, Israel has believed in peaceful co-existence with Palestine. The successive offers of peace from Jerusalem have always supported this policy. During President Mukherjee's visit to Israel, its Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said, "Israel wants peace, I want peace. I am interested in launching negotiations immediately, without preconditions. In order for this to happen, the terror incidents will have to stop and the Palestinians will have to recognize the State of Israel."

In contrast, not only has the Palestinian leadership never believed in peaceful co-existence, but it has constantly indulged in racist incitement, and often violence, to try to eliminate Israel. It was, in fact, to stem this violence that Israel was forced to build a defensive barrier, to successfully forestall more attacks.

The Palestinian leadership, including the Palestinian Authority, may refer to peace and co-existence on some diplomatic occasions, but they preach and practice non-stop hatred and violence against Israelis and Jews. Palestinian leaders have done a lot to whip up this violence but little to stop it. They have, instead, been saying things that would worsen the situation. On September 16, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, said, "Every drop of blood spilled in Jerusalem is pure, every shaheed [martyr] will reach Paradise, and every injured person will be rewarded by God."

On October 13, during a speech broadcast live on Palestinian television, Abbas accused Israel of "attacking holy places." He said Israel's "rejection" of peace and continued building of Jewish West Bank settlements were to blame for the current wave of violence. Palestinians "will not agree to the continuation of the situation on our lands..." Al-Aqsa [on the Temple Mount that is sacred also to Jews, as the location of the two destroyed Jewish Temples] is our right as Palestinians and as Muslims and no one else has a right there." The Palestinians would not agree to any change in the status quo in Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount, but the Israelis had never suggested one.

In his recent speech before the United Nations General Assembly, Abbas fraudulently said:

"As long as Israel refuses to commit to the agreements (the 1993 Oslo Accords) signed with us, which render us an authority without real powers, and as long as Israel refuses to cease settlement activities and to release of the fourth group of Palestinian prisoners in accordance with our agreements, they leave us no choice but to insist that we will not remain the only ones committed to the implementation of these agreements, while Israel continuously violates them." During the same speech, Abbas accused Israel of exacerbating tensions on the Temple Mount, citing "extremist Israeli group incursions on the Al-Aqsa mosque."

The Palestinian leadership may refer to peace and co-existence on some diplomatic occasions, but they preach and practice non-stop hatred and violence against the Israelis and the Jews.

The misguided Palestinians, inspired by ISIS and armed with knives and firebombs, are following them. They are on a killing spree.

On October 15, 2015, Palestinian rioters in the West Bank city of Nablus set fire -- again -- to a holy site, Joseph's Tomb. The tomb is believed by Jews to house the remains of Joseph, the son of the biblical patriarch Jacob. This tomb had also been previously set ablaze and ransacked in 2000. As the conflict in the region turns from bad to worse, the terrorist outfit Hamas is declaring yet another "day of rage" against Israel.

According to a recent report, the recent spate of Palestinian terror attacks throughout Israel, especially in Jerusalem, has also been the work of Hamas and the Islamic Movement in Israel. Hamas is stoking the violence in the West Bank, while trying to keeping a lid on the violence in Gaza.

The report quotes Israel's internal security agency, the Shin Bet, as saying that Palestinian Authority chief Abbas is not actively encouraging terrorism. He is "even instructing his security forces to prevent terror attacks as much as possible." However, members of the Abbas-led Fatah party -- including so-called moderates -- have been actively supporting terrorists. Senior PA and PLO officials "are part of the incitement campaign," according to the Shin Bet. Abbas's own Fatah party has been glorifying the violence and praising those who carry out the violence against the Israelis. Fatah has also been distributing leaflets honoring terrorists that include photos of Abbas as well as the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

It is Palestine, not Israel, that needs the gospel of peace, Mr. President.

Jagdish N. Singh is a senior Indian journalist based in New Delhi, India.

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6 Reader Comments

Elena • Nov 5, 2015 at 20:16

So the Shin Bet reports that that Palestinian Authority chief Abbas is not actively encouraging terrorism. He is "even instructing his security forces to prevent terror attacks as much as possible."

How sickening it is that the very agency that is responsible for protecting Israelis from terrorism is as corrupt as the day is long. Now we see how it is that the Israeli police (headed by an Arab Muslim woman) is not just slow to respond to acts of terror against Jews by Arabs but it just as likely to arrest the Jewish victims of terror when they do arrive on the scene.

European Jews escaping Muslim violence in Europe will find that the Israeli government is just as apathetic as their European counterparts -- only without the Jew-baiting and blame that European governments are so good at. But not to worry, Israeli media will make up for it.

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Harvey • Nov 5, 2015 at 18:44

Until Abbas and his cronies accept the fact that Israel is staying where it is in the same way that other countries around the world including countries like Iran and Saudi Arabia there will NEVER be peace, and junk like the BDS movement the so called EU aren't going to make one iota of difference.

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steven L • Nov 5, 2015 at 12:19

Abbas got the Indian message. It is clear and loud. Being a fanatic Abbas and the other ME Muslim leaders will ignore it.

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June Getraer • Nov 5, 2015 at 08:25

Thank you for so cogently presenting the facts on the ground. Perhaps the Indian president decided to be politically expedient and did not dare to speak the truth to the Muslims of the Palestinian Authority.

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jeb stuart • Nov 5, 2015 at 08:06

What is peace? I've heard of it, but I have no reason to believe it is anything more than a fairy tale. Yesterday, I was walking on a battlefield my great grandfather fought on, I engaged in a conversation with two tourists who had never been there, when I mentioned the ground was hallowed and they should stay on the path because 20,000 Americans had died or were wounded in this filed, the lady exclaimed if women had been in charge there would have been peace. Most likely Blacks would still be slaves or at the very least still forced to continue on in apartheid.

What is peace? What example is there of peace in the world on which to base any belief peace is anything more than an ideal most people wo advocate it have given absolutely no thought to?

And that is why "peace" is so insidious.

Exempting the few groups that actually have an idea what peace is or should be like the Quakers, or genuine conscientious objectors and they are far and few between, we get the ideological false peace of groups like the Marxist Bruderhof that is willing to send its members to serve Saddam Hussein and chain themselves to hard targets as volunteer human shields. That isn't pacifism that is fanaticism. It is a troubling concept that because any American would volunteer to advocate a tyranny and despot like Saddam Hussein and the Baathists, while villainizing President Bush a genuine liberator.

For Peace? I don't think so I don't see any value in what they are advocating is peace, because it tips the balance in favor of tyrants.And the Middle East is paying the price for the false prophets of peace today.

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